Rotorcraft
Bell Adds Pratt, SNC to HSVTOL Team
Buoyed by V-280 win, Bell presses ahead with high-speed VTOL concept.
Bell HSVTOL
Bell’s proposed high-speed VTOL aircraft will hover and fly at more than 400 knots. (Rendering: Bell)

Bell is onboarding strategic partners as it continues research into development of a high-speed vertical takeoff and landing (HSVTOL) aircraft as part of research funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) and the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF's) Afwerx HSVTOL Concept Challenge program.  A company spokesman recently told AIN, “Bell and its industry partners continue to reduce risk related to HSVTOL technologies to accelerate the potential fielding timeline for an operational aircraft. We will continue to showcase new progress to customers in exciting ways this year.”

The Afwerx HSVTOL Concept Challenge is a crowdsourcing effort for the USAF and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Bell is one of 11 companies from more than 200 challenge entrants selected to receive market research investments aimed at advancing HSVTOL technology. Afwerx is designed to produce lower-cost weapons with increased lethality.